Author Description

This is the first major sample survey of lone-parent families in the UK (now numbering over 1 million). It provides information on the routes into and out of lone parenthood and on lone parents' financial circumstances, employment, housing, attitudes and behaviour. As in other industralized countries, the numbers of lone-parent families has been increasing in recent years. This growth in numbers and their increasing dependence on social security benefits has led the Government to undertake a review of policy affecting lone parents. It is hoped that the findings of this research will provide a sound empirical basis for the development of policy.